The invention relates to financial transactions processing systems and methods, which can be provided, for example, in banks and other financial institutions or environments.
A typical bank branch office, for example, includes a teller counter having one or more teller stations. The teller counter typically separates the branch office into a teller area on one side of the counter, and a customer area on the other side of the counter. In some banks, an additional transparent partition is located above the counter to further separate the teller area from the customer area. Many bank branch offices also include various devices to assist the teller in servicing customers.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,726,096 discloses an automated banking machine for carrying out banking transactions. This automated banking machine can dispense coins and notes.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,681,985 discloses a financial transaction processing system to process financial transactions for a customer in a financial institution. A concierge may direct the customer to a stand-alone podium (sometimes called a tower) containing a teller computer, cash slot, and cash box. A bank employee at the tower performs transactions for the customer. In an embodiment, a teller cash dispenser dispenses cash to the customer.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,315,279 discloses a paper money processing apparatus having separate note dispensing and note receiving sections that are detachably connected to each other.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,177 discloses a device that may be configured for front and rear service.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,578,695 discloses a device that has cash handling equipment using a common back plate and interchangeable modules.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,637,647 discloses a bill transaction machine. The machine includes a plurality of detachably mounted boxes for accepting bills. The machine may be dedicated to deposit, withdrawal, or both.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,989, U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,273, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,581,746 each disclose cash handling devices having cassettes for storage and retrieval of cash.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,726,096 discloses a teller machine having two interfaces sharing the same storage of cash, in which a robotic arm interfaces with several customers at several positions with a central machine.
A more recent trend in the banking industry is to provide stand-alone podiums containing one or two teller stations, around which tellers and customers can move. Examples of such stand-alone podiums/towers are provided in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,681,985, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Also see De La Rue Cash Systems GMBH and Plan Object GMBH, “Dialog Banking in der Praxis”, Mörfelden-Walldorf, February, 1999.